A well-known technical problem in the design of an MRI/NMR device is that of the fringing magnetic fields. These fringing magnetic fields can cause interference with nearby devices and lead to safety concerns arising from the possibility of placing magnetic material in propinquity to the MRI/NMR device as well as limiting the proximity of two MRI/NMR devices or other devices. This limitation results in the fact that almost invariably the MRI/NMR device is stored in a special isolated facility. This last problem is of particular concern for cases in which it is required to take MRI imaging examinations and measurements of a premature neonate without transferring the premature neonate between a premature neonate intensive-care ward and an MRI imaging facility, without decoupling and disconnecting the premature neonate from life-support systems.
The following prior art are believed to be relevant to the current status of the art:
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2007/0232894 to Feenan describes an extendable carriage configured to shuttle between the neonate incubator and the magnetic resonance incubator system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,702 to Rohling et al. describes an enclosure within the MRI device and adapted to maintain a selected environment with couplings to life-support mechanisms. An RF coil is located within the enclosure.
The website currently available at http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/1211-inside_the_preemie_brain.htm shows an incubator in use with an MRI device in which the premature neonate is transferred to a transportable incubator for examination.
The above-cited references, describe incubator devices in which the patient is removed from an incubator located in a hospital ward and placed within an MRI-incubator prior to the MRI examinations.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,800,335 and 7,278,962 to Koch and Lonneker-Lammers, respectively, describe a specialized incubator for use in tomography. These references do not relate to the problem of transferring a neonate from a ward-incubator to an MRI-compatible incubator.
The above-cited references do not provide a system or method enabling a premature neonate to undergo an MRI/NMR examination e.g., in the premature neonate intensive-care ward and require that the premature neonate be detached from the life-supporting systems during transfer to the MRI-compatible incubator. Thus, during placing the patient, such as a neonate, neonate in the prior art incubator, the patient or neonate is detached from the life-support systems, which can endanger the health of the patient.
Therefore, there is a long felt and hitherto unmet need for providing improved incubator devices.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses high frequency waves and a magnetic field to create three-dimensional sections or layered images of body organs or tissue for medical diagnosis and research. These images greatly improve the ability of doctors to distinguish abnormal from healthy tissues. MRI can also be used to observe and measure dynamic physiological changes inside a patient without cutting into or penetrating the body. Conventional MRI devices consist of a closed tube into which the patient is inserted for the purpose of the examination. To produce an image, an MRI machine uses a powerful magnet to generate a magnetic field. When a patient lies within this field, the nuclei of atoms within the body align themselves with the magnetic field (much as iron filings line up around a magnet). Radio waves are then pulsed through the body, causing the nuclei to change their alignment with respect to the axis of the magnetic lines of force. As they return to their previous state after each pulse, they produce faint, distinctive radio signals; the rate at which they emit signals and the frequency of the signals depend on the type of atom, the temperature, the chemical environment, position, and other factors. These signals are detected by coils around the body and processed by a computer to produce images of internal structures.
When imaging patients, several parameters and precautions must be addressed. Since MRI imaging utilizes a strong magnet, care must be taken to insure that all elements and equipment in the vicinity of the MRI are ‘MRI safe’, meaning that they are not magnetic, not conductive, and not RF reactive. Many accidents were reported when metallic items were pulled in by the force of the magnetic field and harmed a patient during imaging.
Other risks may be peripheral nerve stimulation, exposure to a loud noise (up to 120 dB), generated by the rapid switching of the magnetic field gradients, or overheating may occur due to absorption of the energy that is utilized to generate the magnetic spin. Another risk involves an unintentional shut-down of a superconducting electromagnet (“quench”), resulting in the rapid boiling of liquid helium from the device. The rapidly expanding helium if released into the scanner room may cause displacement of the oxygen and present a risk of asphyxiation. In order to minimize risks and maintain homogenous conditions, a constant low temperature is kept in the MRI room.
Special care should be taken when MR scanning babies and neonates. New born and ill babies are usually kept in an incubator especially designed for maintaining constant environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity fitting for life supporting the baby. In addition in the incubator, functioning as an intensive care unit, provides the baby with connections to various medical devices and monitors to facilitate and overview breathing, feeding, fluid exchange and cardiac activity. Babies and neonates are also sensitive to excess light, noise, vibration and handling, and so these must be minimized to benefit recovery. Any transfer or movement of the baby may require the transfer or reconnection of attached medical devices, posing an additional stress on the baby. Further, any changes in location of the neonate may expose him to infection from an unprotected environment.
It is needed to take MRI examinations and measurements of a premature neonate without transferring the premature neonate between a premature neonate intensive-care ward and an MRI imaging facility, without decoupling and disconnecting the premature neonate from life-support systems.
In order to maximize efficiency of MR imaging, and minimize potential risk to the patient an obstacle free environment should be maintained in the vicinity of the patient when scanned. Further placing the patient in a specific position in the scanner should be quick and precise. And lastly imaging conditions should be homogenous to allow comparison between different scans and to minimize artifacts or loss of information.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,147,396 B2, filed Nov. 24, 2004 titled: “NEONATE IMAGING SUB SYSTEM”, discloses a radiographic imaging subsystem for treating neonates. The subsystem includes a radiographic compatible incubator, a radiographic compatible RF coil, and a radiographic compatible trolley. The above cited reference describes incubator devices in which the patient is removed from an incubator located in a hospital ward and placed within an MRI-incubator prior to the MRI examinations.
The above-cited references does not provide a system enabling a premature neonate to undergo an MRI/NMR examination e.g., in the premature neonate intensive-care ward and require that the premature neonate be detached from the life-supporting systems during transfer to the MRI-compatible incubator. Thus, during placing the patient, such as a neonate, neonate in the prior art incubator, the patient or neonate is detached from the life-support systems, which can endanger the health of the patient. Further the above sited reference does not provide a system of an incubator as a portion of a cart accepted in an MRD bore thereby providing a single step process for imaging a neonate.
Therefore, there is a long felt need for an apparatus facilitating MRI scanning of a baby that maintains environmental conditions and life support equipment connections and monitoring during the scan. Further, this apparatus will limit excess handling, and eliminate the need for decoupling or disconnecting the neonate from life supporting of the baby during MRI imaging and preparation thereof, thereby providing a single step process for imaging a neonate. This system will therefor increase the safety of neonates during MRI scanning and preparations thereof. Further there is a long felt need for a system providing integrated solutions that address the special needs when imaging a patient, while limiting excess handling, eases placement of the patient and prevents exposure of the patient to the external environment conditions.